The End Of Days
by NRClark
Summary: The End Of Day is not a happy story, Nate Mathews wakes up to a world completely different than anything he could ever imagine. The dead have come back to life as animalistic cannibals and only a small population of the world is still actually "human."
1. Chapter 1: A New End

I swear I could see my reflection in one of their eyes, hundreds of eyes floating closer and closer to me in the darkness glowing like a dog's. I attempted to take a step back but couldn't move my feet, my mouth was dry and I felt a cold drip of sweat falls from my nose down my shirt. My hands were shaking violently, and I felt as though I was going to throw up. I wanted to scream, but I was too damn scared.

"Oh my god! Everybody! Get inside!" Screamed a voice behind me that snapped me out of my paralyzed state.

I whipped myself around and began to sprint toward the Walmart that was a couple hundred feet behind me. Panting heavily, I turned my head to glance over my shoulder to see hundreds of Walkers staggering through the parking lot, moans and grunts echoing through the large open space. The sight of their faces only made me increase speed, as I shot passed the sliding doors and ran inside. I fell to the floor and huddled myself into one of the check out aisles reaching behind me to pull the 9mm pistol from my jeans and cocked it, pushing my head down to not be seen over the aisle.

After what seemed like hours of silence, their was a bashing coming from the entrance and then the sound of glass cracking. My body tensed, and I slowly began to inch toward the back of the aisle glancing over the racks of assorted items to see if I could spot anybody else. I could only see Frank, a former state senator with a stick up his ass and the self appointed leader of the group taking refuge in the store. He had his back tight to the wall, with a shotgun in hand and looked as though he was giving orders to somebody with him but they were out of sight. I could hear pieces of glass smash into the floor, but couldn't see how far the Walkers were through. It didn't take me long to figure out however, as I saw one slam its whole body into the glass and begin to bash his head into the glass frantically immedietely cracking the thick glass.

"Aw no! Aw shit..." I spoke outloud as I raised my pistol toward the Walker, my hand quivering like crazy watching more and more Walkers pile up on the glass scratching, and pushing on the glass.

"Everybody! Retreat to the back of the store!" Yelled Frank as he began to back away quickly from the door with two other people I recognized as Julie and Matt, two people who took refuge in the store before I got here.

The group of three didn't get more than fifty feet away when the first Walker got through the glass unleashing a herd into the store. I hit the ground of the aisle, and pointed my gun toward the end of it. I was scared out of my wits, but I figured if I could get the drop on one of them they would horde to the aisle and I could get to the back of the store. As one of the Walkers came in my sights, I took a deep breath and stared at it for a minute. Its jaw was crooked and looked as if it had been hit by something previously, it had black hair that was in a mess on its head covered in blood and dirt. Its ominous green eyes slowly fall on me, as I pull the trigger of the gun.

I hear a shatter as a picture of the Employee of the Month comes smashing to the floor with a large hole in the center of it behind the Walker. I missed. I immedietely shot to my feet and began to sprint as fast as I could from the aisle. I could hear moans and growls behind me, hot on my heels. I could feel tears swelling up in my eyes as I ran, I didn't want to die, and I certainly didn't want to become like the infected. I ran into the electronics aisle and looked from left to right for any kind of spot to hide myself but there was nothing. I could see a dozen Walkers staggering down the main aisle toward the electronics, eyes locked on me.

"Nate! Get over here!" Yelled a voice to the left of me, and I swung around to see Frank poking his head out from the layway area, gesturing frantically for me to get over there.

I began to run over to him, when two Walkers appeared out of nowhere from one of the nearby aisles by Frank. I raised my hand and opened my mouth to warn him, but it was too late. One of the Walkers grabbed at his hand and sunk its teeth into his forearm causing him to let out a blood curdeling scream, until the other Walker bit onto his cheek ripping a large piece of flesh out before they both took him to the ground. I covered my mouth, as I felt vomit leak onto my hand. I closed my eyes before spitting onto the floor and beginning forward a look of both anger and fear. I lifted the 9mm up and pulled the trigger, hitting one of the Walkers in the shoulder.

"Shit!" I cursed as I cocked the gun once again and fired another shot, this time hitting the Walker square in the nose killing it instantly.

I cocked my gun again, and walked toward the Walker slowly as it turned its attention toward me and lunged at me. I pointed my gun upwards and waited for it to get as close as possible before pulling the trigger and spilling its brains onto the tiles. I peered over to Frank, who was laying on the tiles wide eyed, spilling blood onto the floor from his face and arm.

I took a moment to collect myself, breathing heavily from the excitement until I heard more moans behind me and I slammed the layway doors shut and began to pile up boxes to block the entrance, fighting against the Walker's best attempts to get through the door as I barricaded myself in. I took a few steps back from the barricaded door, leaning against the wall and slouching into a sitting position burying my face into my hands.

"Why... did this happen? Why... WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? God damnit!" I screamed, as I felt tears streaming down my face, my whole body shaking. I didn't understand this new world, and I didn't know what I was supposed to do.

My thoughts and tears were interrupted by the familiar screech of a zombie, assuming it was just the dozen outside the barricaded door, I rubbed my eyes and looked up toward the barricade.

"Shut up gee..." I stopped midsentence at the sight of a zombified Frank, inches from my face and this time... I could see my reflection in the eyes.


	2. Chapter 2: What Family?

Chapter 2

What Family?

A long drawn out moan rang through the house, immedietely breaking my sound sleep. My eyes opened slightly, before closing again they felt as though they had cinderblocks tied to them forcing them to close. A high pitched screech then rang through the house, followed by a loud scream. My eyes darted open and I tossed the blankets off me to run to my door. The screams continued as I sprinted down the hallway at full speed to the door of my twin brother Austin's room. Without any hesitation, being wrapped up in the heat of the moment I pushed the door open to see the sight of my mother grabbing at Austin, and Austin desperately trying to fend her off with a look of frantic fear on his face.

"Mom! What are you doing!" I screamed as I grabbed onto my mom's shoulder to attempt to pull her off of my brother, when she slammed her head down with force and drove her teeth into Austin's shoulder, blooding leaking down her lips.

Austin screamed and grabbed at my mother's face to attempt to force her off, but to no avail. Her teeth just sunk deeper and deeper into his flesh as she pulled back in an attempt to take the full chunk of flesh with her. I looked around the room quickly, and grabbed the lamp placed on my brother's dresser and slammed the lamp into the side of my mother's face. It was enough for her to release her hold on Austin, but she immedietely turned her attention to me and pounced at me pinning me to the wall.

"Stop! Why are you..." I stopped mid sentence at the sight of my mother's face. Her eyes were dead, they being blood shot with the iris gray and dead, along with blood dripping from her lips. She looked like an animal.

In shock from my mother's face, I loosened my grip slightly giving my mother the chance the lunge again, getting inches from my face before I caught her head and held her back as best as I could. She bit at me desperately, and I could feel my hands slowly sliding off of her head losing my grip. Just as I could see my life flash before my eyes, I watched a baseball bat swing out from the darkness and collide with my mother's head with extreme force knocking her to the ground away from me. I stood there for a minute staring at my mother who was stirring on the ground in an attempt to get up, when I saw Austin baseball bat in hand, swing the bat downwards at my mother's head caving her head in. She went limp.

"Fuck!" Yelled Austin as he threw the baseball bat at the wall as hard as he could, before falling to his knees holding his bleeding shoulder in pain.

"A-are you okay?" I asked, as I leaned down next to him prying his hand away from his shoulder to reveal a piece of flesh hanging from it by a small piece of skin. I whinced in disgust before raising to my feet as I heard another moan leak out from downstairs.

"Did you hear that?"

"Shit.. Not again!"

I pushed open the door to the hallway, and glanced from left and right. After a moment, I could make out a figure in the darkness. The figure was staggering up the stairs and looked to be hunched over having difficulty walking, loud grunts accompanying every step he took. I retreated into the room for a minute, before grabbing the baseball bat from the floor next to Austin who was attempting to wrap his shoulder up in a shirt to stop the blood flow.

I paused leaning against the door, closing my eyes listening to the grunt before abruptly running into the hall screaming like an indian at war, and slammed the long end of the baseball bat into the figure and forced it backwards down the stairs it toppling down each step roughly, not taking any chance to protect itself when I heard a loud snap and the figure laid at the bottom of the stairs, neck limply to the side broken. I took a moment to collect myself, hunching myself over and panting as Austin appeared behind me holding his arm.

"What the hell is going on? Did you see her face?" Asked Austin, looking back to the entrance of his bedroom with a look of dismay.

"We need to call the police!" I ordered, as I turned toward the stairs again to see the figure I thought I had just killed, standing a few steps away from me. It threws itself at me, causing me to instinctly jump back feeling its fingernails graze my pajamas bottoms.

"Back, back, back!" I told Austin, as I grabbed him and pulled him backwards he groaning in pain from his shoulder. I led him into the nearby bathroom, and slammed the door shut quickly flipping the lock only to immedietely hear scratching and banging at the door.

We must have been in that bathroom for a solid four hours, and for three of those hours we had to listen to the scratching, banging and splintering of the door. Austin fell asleep soon after the banging stopped, explaining that his wound was making him a little whoozy. I remained awake, leaning against the wall with a small flashlight in hand we kept in the medicine cabinet. I had already lost my mom, I wasn't about to sleep and let anything happen to the one member of my immediete family I had left. My dad died a few month previous to the infection. But, being in almost pitch black and complete silence, you can only stay awake for so long and eventually I dozed off.

I was awoken in a fashion very similiar to the last time I woke up, to a loud moan. My eyes darted open and I shot to my feet pressing myself against the wall, reaching onto the sink for the pair of scissors that laid there and gripping them tightly in hand.

"Austin... one of those things are back..." I whispered as I leaned my ear to the door to listen, but felt no scratching or shaking of any kind on the door. Just the moan, and upon further examination the moan wasn't coming from behind the door, but behind me.

I swung my body around to see Austin's figure standing infront of me, just standing there moaning. My hand shook as I rose the flashlight up his body to his face, to reveal a familiar pair of dead eyes staring back at me as he grabbed onto my arm and went in to bite. I dropped my flashlight and used the hand to push my palm into his head to keep him back. The scissors felt as though they weighed a thousand pounds as I tried to keep Austin at bay. Just a few hours ago, I wanted to keep the one member of my family alive and now they were trying to kill me just as my mother had to. I rose the scissors up and pulled them back, my hand quivering but I couldn't find the strength to put down my brother with them. Instead, I pushed my whole bodyweight forward into one push that sent my brother flying into the toliet behind him and then to the floor. I took the chance to pull open the bathroom door and quickly shut it again, grabbing a nearby chair to prop it on the door handle to make sure Austin couldn't get out.

I stood at the entrance of the bathroom for a minute, staring at the door. Tears were streaming down my eyes, but I wasn't crying. I just couldn't stop them from streaming down my face. I slowly began to back away from the bathroom, listening to Austin groan and push at the door in a futile attempt to open it. Shaking my head slowly, I began to descend down the stairs to the first floor. The downstairs looked the way I remembered leaving it earlier when I went to bed, with a few pushed over pieces of furniture and mess. I could see the door to outside from the stairs, and wallowed over to it still in shock from what had just happened.

"Why couldn't it have been me... Why did they leave me..." I mumbled to myself, as I opened the door to reveal two figures in the darkness staggering around, being no more than four feet away from the door.

I gasped as I attempted to shut the door only to have one of them grip the door and attempt to force it back open, alerting the other one as they staggered over. I desperately retreated to the back of the house, and swung open the back door to the alley to reveal another four of them. I attempted to back away from the door but tripped over the carpet and fell to the floor, as the figures began to pile into my house. I screamed as loud as I could as they neared me.

One of them fell to its knees and grabbed my leg in an attempt to bite me, I screamed once again when I heard three consecutive gunshots echo behind the man ontop of me. Finally, a fourth gunshot and blood sprayed from the man's face ontop of me. I quickly pushed the man off of me, and looked forward to see the shadow of a man standing infront of me, shotgun in hand, the barrel pointed at me.


	3. Chapter 3: Hope

"Are you bit?" Demanded the man, his shotgun glistening from the glare of the streetlights beaming from the alley behind him. I only stared at him confused, before he pushed the shotgun closer to my face as a means of intimidation.

"I... uh... no. No. I haven't been bit." I quickly explained, the man's gun hovering infront of my face for another moment before aiming it above my head, and pulling the trigger taking out one of the infected men coming in from the front door.

"Well, your nothing but geek bait sitting here! Get your ass outside!" Ordered the man, as he made his way into the alley looking left to right as if crossing the streets before walking out.

"Now!" The man ordered again, and upon seeing more piling into my house from the entrance I knew I didn't have a choice. Raising up to my feet, I quickly made my way outside into the alley with the man slamming it behind me and slamming the butt of his shotgun into the knob a few times to break it off, preventing them from following us.

I could now get a good look at the man with the streetlight to illuminate the area, he was dark skinned with a blue bandanna wrapped around his head. He had an athletic build to him, and a stone cold face that looked as though it lacked any emotion at all. As I studied the man, he made his way over to a hunter green pick up truck that was parked in the alley, and began to pour a nearby gas tank into it. Annoyed with his lack of answers or even acknowledgement of my exsistance, I walked up to him and stopped a few feet away casting a shadow over him to make sure I got his attention. He still refused to look at me.

"What's going on?" I asked, but the man simply continued to pour the gas into the tank silently.

"I said... What's going on?" I asked again, but once again was meant with silence as I angerly gave the man a slight shove causing him to a spill a bit of gas on the ground. This definately got his attention as he slammed an elbow into my stomach knocking the wind out of me, forcing me to lean over the hood of the truck to catch my breath.

"You wanna talk here with Walkers literally ten feet away from us, or you wanna get out of here first?" He asked sarcastically as he tipped the gas tank to get the last few drops out and climbed into the driver's seat, glancing up to me as if to say "Are you coming?"

Reluctantly I climbed into the passenger seat, and looked towards my house with a feeling of sorrow. I could just imagine Austin in the bathroom, mindlessly attempting to get out of the bathroom until he finally dies. This thought made me cover my eyes to block my house from my vision, as we pulled out from the alley and began to speed down the road. After a few minutes of covering my face, and reflecting on the events that just transpired I lifted my head up and turned towards the man driving the truck.

"What's going on?" I asked a third time, as the man glanced to me with an annoyed look on his face before letting out a loud sigh.

"Hi. I'm Ray, nice to meet you. Your never going to learn anything, without properly introducing yourself boy." Answered the man, as he flicked on the radio, the dull sound of static leaking out from the speakers.

"I'm Nate. Nate Mathews. And if you were in my situation, you would be freaking out too!" I snapped before turning to look out the window. Ray wasn't giving up answers as easily I had wanted, and after just having watched my brother murder my mother and then watch him turn into what my mother did, I was not in the mood to deal with it.

"Aw, well since you asked so nicely..." Commented Ray sarcastically.

"Those things you encountered outside, they are infected. Walkers. The walking dead. You get bit... you turn into one of them." Explained Ray bluntly, as he pointed out the window towards a small convience store parking lot. "See. There's a couple."

"What are you talking about? Dead is dead. There is..."

"Ya know one of those Walkers I killed in your house had their necks broken. Do you know living person who can survive that and keep attacking?" Asked Ray, his tone seemed to be stuck with a sarcastic overshadow.

I remembered back to the man that I pushed down the stairs, I know his neck broke, I heard it snap. In yet he still came at me as if nothing happened. I ran my hand through my hair attempting to process what I was just told in my head, and all the questions I still had swarming through my head.

"But... You killed four of them. I watched you. How do you kill something that's already dead?"

"Guess they have a soft spot in there head or something. I don't exactly know how it works, all I know is a bullet to the brain, or a knife in the skull is the only way I know how to take out geeks." Explained Ray, as he looked down at his spedometer and began to tap the glass.

"How did this happen? Everything was fine yesterday!" I cried, a feeling of panic rushing over me causing me to begin to sweat.

"Look kid, I don't have all the answers. All I know right now, is we gotta get out of Portland or find somewhere to bunker down. One gunshot, in the right place, at the right time in this city... could alert over a hundred Walkers. Its too dangerous." Ray explained as the direness of the situation set on me. What if the whole world was like this? I wanted to close my eyes and wake up from the nightmare.

The engine began to sputter, as I heard a loud bump under the hood as if something bursted. I frantically peered around the highway, as the truck got slower and slower before coming to a complete stop and only the sound of Ray's foot slamming into the gas pedal could be heard.

"Son of a bitch!" Yelled Ray, as he punched the steering wheel before swinging the door open and popping the hood to take a look.

After a moment, I followed over to the smokey disaster under the hood and peered through to see if I could see anything. Unfortunately, I wasn't very car savy and Ray looked like he knew what he was doing so I took a step back.

"Tank of gas must have been full of diesel... who the hell keeps a tank of diesel? Damn! Not good. We need a new ride, and fast." Ray said frantically as he slammed the hood down and went around to begin to shuffle through things, grabbing a bag from the bed of the truck and slinging it over his shoulder.

I watched as Ray made his way over to a gray subaru, stopped a few feet away from us in another lane. The driver's side door was wide open, and it looked as though somebody jumped out in a panic. I made my way over to Ray's side to peer in through the window, to see a Walker sitting in the backseat, his smashed head blending in with the blood stained seats.

"Yeeeah, not this one." Announced Ray with a slight grin on his face, before beginning down the highway away from me.

"Hey! Wait up!" I yelled as I ran after him.

We wandered the highway for what seemed like hours, coming upon car after car. But Ray was picky, and wanted something dependable. I couldn't see the difference as long as we escaped the city but Ray didn't seem overly concerned. Once again, I was stuck in the dark. Maybe he felt safe judging from the bag slung over his shoulder with a rifle barrel poking out.

Eventually we came to an exit, and at the bottom of the ramp was a large sign that read "7/11." I recongized the building, it being a common place for me to go after high school to try to get people to buy my friends and me alcohol. What simple days. Ray rose his hand up and pointed at the sign.

"There... There's bound to be a decent vehicle there, and we can stock up on gas. We can get as far away from this city as we need to." Ray said gleefully before beginning down the ramp in a fast walk, making it difficult for me to keep up with him.

Turning the bend, the 7/11 gas station laid there looking as though it had been untouched by all the disaster around us. I couldn't help but let a small smile creep onto my lips as I walked toward it, I felt hope. And what did I have left but hope? I split off from Ray, and wandered over to a nearby Ford Focus and peered through the passengers side window to see the keys still in the ignition.

"Hey! Ray! This one has keys!" I yelled from across the pumps, as Ray turned to me and rose his finger to his lips. I cocked my head in confusion, before hearing the cock of a gun no more than a foot behind me.

"Shit..."


	4. Chapter 4: Chivalry is Dead

I ceased breathing immedietely at the sound of the gun inches behind my head. My legs locked, and I felt a bit faint. I watched as Ray reached for the shotgun slung over his shoulder, but he stopped dead in his tracks as the barrel of the gun was pushed into the back of my neck, the cold metal stinging my skin.

"Don't even think about it!" Ordered the man behind me as he gripped my arm tightly to make sure I wasn't going anywhere.

"You fire that gun in the middle of the city, we're gonna be the least of your worries with how many Walkers your going to attract! Let us walk." Explained Ray, calmly his hand still gripped on his shotgun ready to aim and fire on a moment's noitce.

"That's the thing!" Announced a voice from the entrance to the gas station causing my gaze to fall upon a man, dressed in a button up white shirt, with a spiked blonde hair, a revolver equipped in his hand.

"You see... everything you see around you right now, belongs to us. Those gas pumps, all these cars, the food and water in the station... Its all ours. So, we would very much appreciate it if you could get off our property." Explained the man, as he began to wander toward us a friendly grin molded onto his lips.

"O-okay... We'll go." I answered, as I turned my head to see a man pointing a gun 10mm pistol at me, his eyes cold and looked as though he hated me with a passion and wanted nothing more than to put a bullet inbetween my eyes.

"We need a tank of gas." Responded Ray bluntly, as he stared the blonde haired man down and began to walk toward him, revealing two other men on the roof of the gas station, now pointing rifles down at Ray.

"Ray! What are you doing! Lets go!" I cried, as I took a step toward him but the man behind me gripped my arm and pulled me back to him, pushing the barrel of the gun into my spine.

"A car won't be much of an issue. But, we need at least one tank of gas... at least enough to get out of the city." Ordered Ray sternly, as he stopped a few feet away from the blonde haired man staring him in the eye with intensity. My body was tense, Ray was being very bold and was playing with not only his own life, but my life as well. I questioned if staying with ray was really the right decision.

"Your not in much of a situation to be arguing "friend"" Recanted the man, as he took a step toward Ray and drew his knife from his jeans spinning it between his fingers, not taking his eyes of RAy.

"You either kill us here, or you send us out into the city to get killed by Walkers. Either way, without that gas... we're dead." Ray argued, as he glanced down at the knife quickly but didn't allow his expression to change and met the man's gaze twice as hard.

"You know... a knife doesn't attract Walkers like a gun." Mumbled the man loud enough that I could hear it, my eyes widened as he got less than a foot away from Ray, and pushed the blade forward slowly so it was hovering infront of Ray's face.

"One... tank." Insisted Ray, keeping his eyes locked on the man's eyes as if he was in a trance his hand tightening around his shotgun and his other hand forming into a fist.

The man began to chuckle and looked over to me, staring me down for a moment. His gaze then met with the guys on the roof, as he turned his back to Ray completely for a moment. The man quickly whipped around and drove the knife forward, aiming for Ray's stomache. I opened my mouth to warn Ray, but Ray was quick to react and drove the butt of his shotgun into the face of the man knocking him to the ground. Just as quickly as Ray reacted, he aimed the gun and fired a shot into the man's chest and then another in the face causing a river of blood to leak onto the pavement.

"Nate!" Yelled Ray to snap me out of my state of shock, and I turned around and pushed the man taking me hostage's hand with the pistol upwards in a struggle. The man fired a couple shots into the air before I drove my knee upwards into the man's crotch forcing a gasp out of him before he falls to the ground.

I quickly leaned down and snatched up the 10mm pistol, as a barrage of bullets began to fly through the gas station. I took cover behind a nearby car, as bullets shattered the glass and bursted through the metal. I cocked my gun, and poked my head up as a bullet flew by my head grazing my hair, forcing me to fall backwards to the pavement behind the car as more bullets flew by me. I looked from side to side for Ray, but couldn't find him. I pointed the gun up above the car and fired a random shot off, not expecting to hit anything.

I peered through the broken glass of the car window, to see Ray almost to the top of a ladder on the side of the gas station. I strafed over to the back of the car to get a better look, as Ray slowly snuck up on one of the men with the rifles and drove his foot into his back sending him flying over the roof and to the pavement below, he instantly going limp. The other man, turned to fire a shot at Ray, prompting Ray to hit the floor and fire a shot at the man, buckshot piercing the man's stomache instantly killing him. A feeling of both shock and relief overcame me, as I lifted up from behind the car and looked up at Ray who had blood dripping from his face.

"R-Ray..." I stuttered as I looked up at him on the roof of the gas station. Ray glanced down to me with a slightly twisted grin, before peering upwards and I saw something in Ray's eyes I hadn't seen before. Fear.

I quickly spun around to see what looked like black blurrs coming toward me, I slowly shook my head as it grew more and more obvious what they were. A massive herd of Walkers. I began to sprint over to the ladder Ray had used to get onto the roof, when I spotted at least two dozen Walkers staggering down the alley with the ladder as quickly as they could. I backed up from the alley, and looked around desperately for some sort of sanctuary from the incoming danger.

"Nate! The car! Get in the car!" Yelled Ray from the rooftop, causing me to remember the Ford Focus with the keys still in the ignition.

I ran over to the car, and slid into the driver's seat quickly slamming the door and locking it. Only seconds after I got into the car, Walkers pushed themselves into the glass of the window and began to claw and smash at the glass. I pointed the 10mm upwards towards the window, hearing muffled shotgun blasts from outside from Ray's attempts to hold the herd back. The glass was breaking quick, and more and more Walkers were sorrounding the car. I pointed the barrel out through the glass, and fired a shot off hitting a close by Walker in the chest, not even slowing it down.

"Ray! Ray! Please help!" I screamed as the Walkers began to reach in through the glass and break at the windshield as well.

I've felt death staring me in the eye more than five times in the last twenty four hours, but this time seemed different. This time it didn't seem like there was any way out of it. I was going to die in a 7/11 parking lot, and I would become just another zombie roaming the earth. The windshield cracked as I turned my head to look over my shoulder to see exactly how many Walkers were around me. Three walkers were working on the back window, but something was coming up behind them fast. I couldn't make it out until it got no more than a hundred feet away, to see an eighteen wheeler rushing toward the car, and came so close to the car that sparks shot off from the grinding of metal on metal, taking out almost all the Walkers on that side of the car. I jumped backwards as the truck came to a stop next to me, and I could make out the writing on the side of the truck.

It read... "WAL MART"


	5. Chapter 5: A Different World

I gripped the handle of the door, and attempted to push it open but the truck was blocking me in. I glanced over my shoulder to see more and more Walkers piling up on the opposite side of the car. I jumped over to the backseat, and pointed my gun toward the window at a Walker scratching at the window. I pulled the trigger, shattering a good portion of the glass and hitting the Walker between the eyes. I quickly jumped over the next row of seats to the back of the car, a Walker beginning to climb in through the shattered window. I peered through the back window at two Walkers who began to desperately slam themselves at the window to get to me. I pointed the gun forward, the barrel hovering, pointed at one of the Walker's heads.

Before I could shoot, a muffled shotgun blast rang out and blood splattered over the back window. This was followed by another gunshot and more blood accompanying the back window, blocking my vision. The back of the car swung open, to reveal Ray standing there shotgun aimed into the car.

"Duck!" Yelled Ray, as I curled into a ball behind the seat and Ray fired a shot off hitting a Walker climbing into the car in the head causing it to go limp halfway through the window.

"Lets go! Come on!" Ordered Ray, as he began toward the truck checking behind him for Walkers who were now turning there attention toward Ray after the several gunshots.

I ran after Ray as fast as I could, spotting him near the back of the truck opening the door to the trailer in the back. I approached his side as Ray hopped up onto the trailer floor, and reached down to help me up into the trailer. I barely got both feet on the ground as a group of Walkers ran to the trailer and began to reach for Ray's and my feet. I took a few steps back as Ray took a step forward and slammed his boot into one of the Walker's heads knocking it back into a group before firing a shotgun blast at the group and slamming the trailer closed, unleashing pure darkness.

"Ray?" I called into the darkness, as I began to wander through the trailer bumping into several boxes and other objects.

"I'm here.." Called out Ray as ignited a lighter to reveal a bit of light around him, giving me a slight wave of his hand.

The engine of the truck began to roar through the trailer blocking out Ray's attempt to talk to me. After a few seconds, I could feel movement and I fell backwards into the steel floor of the trailer. I let out a slight groan as I raised up to a sitting position leaning myself against the boxes behind me and I sat. I lost track of time in that trailer, occasionally hearing Ray attempt to make muffled comments to me that I couldn't make out. I felt safe in that trailer. Even though I didn't know who was driving it or where I was going, I knew I was safe from the undead. And that's what mattered to me. I didn't even realize that I fell asleep until the trailer doors swung open, shining a bright light on me causing me to squint and block out the light with my arm.

"Come on out boys!" A voice called out into the trailer, I was unable to make out his face from the trailer with the harsh light all around him.

Ray walked slowly past me, not even acknowledging I was sitting on the floor, concentrating on the situation. I watched Ray hop off the trailer to the ground, and forced myself to my feet following after him and climbing down onto the pavement. I now saw Ray, conversing with an older man looking to be in his late 50s early 60s. He had gray hair that went down to his shoulders, and was wearing a blue sweatshirt with the sleeves ripped off, along with a gray long sleeved shirt underneath it. I glanced around my sorroundings in confusion, noticing a large basically empty parking lot all around me, along with shopping carts. I then turned myself around, to reveal a large building off in the distance with big plastic letters on the front that read "WALMART" on the front of it.

"..So, there are more survivors in there?" I heard Ray ask the man, which peaked my interest prompting me to wander over to Ray's side to listen to the conversation.

"That's right! My lil boy Frankie calls the shots and guides everyone in the store. Haven't had any issues since he took the lead. I'm damn proud! He is going to want to meet you, both of you." Explained the man, as he began toward the store gesturing for us to follow him. I was hesitant at first, but upon seeing Ray follow the man without hesitation, I followed his lead.

As I got closer to the Walmart, I noticed more and more precautions taken to protect the building. A barricade of cars sorrounded every door, an armed guard on a small side roof over the entrance, and upon reaching the door, a padlocked chain going into the wall holding the entrance shut. The old man walked up to the door and slammed on the glass with a closed fist, a loud bang ringing out. I peered through the glass to see a husky man look through the glass, and peered over at us before retreating back into the store. I looked over the old man in confusion, but he didn't look very concerned. After a few minutes, a man appeared dressed in a dirty suit missing key essentials, such as the tie and the jacket. The man had black short hair that actually looked to be a lot better well kept than his attire. It became obvious that this was the man, the old man mentioned, Frank. The man pointed at the three of us, before gesturing us to follow him to a small cracked window.

"I send you out to find fuel for the other trucks, and you bring me geekbait?" Snapped Frank, as the old man got inches from the window and began to whisper to Frank. Judging from Frank's reactions, I don't think he was telling him anything he wanted to hear.

"I said less than ten!" I heard Frank snap, as I turned to Ray who was trying just as hard as me to make out what they were whispering out.

"What's two more?" Argued the old man, as Frank quickly shook his head and pointed a finger at Sven before backing away from the window.

"Fine Dad! You can either come inside and exile somebody ALREADY in the group... Or you can send one of them packing." Ordered Frank, before slamming the window shut and dissapearing out of sight.

The old man ran a hand through his hair slowly, before turning to us and let a loud drawn out sigh escape his lips. I didn't understand what was going on, but judging from Ray's face I knew I was the only one.

"Wh-What's going on?" I asked, unable to shake an uneasy feeling that was creeping up my spine. The old man opened his mouth to speak, but Ray cut him off.

"Their leader... Frank. He wants to keep the group small, and doesn't want to let both of us inside. He'll only let one of us in. That about right?" Asked Ray, as the old man turned away with a look of dismay on his face.

"But! That's not fair! Its a Walmart! There's enough supplies in there to support thirty people!" I cried, looking over to the old man who was slowly shaking his head as if to say "It doesn't matter. Rules are rules." I clenched my hand into a fist staring at the old man.

"Nate... I think its time to leave." Spoke Ray, as I spun around to face him my face beat red with frusturation.

"And do what?! Go back to finding gas? This is a real shot to survive! We can't just leave!" I yelled, as Ray stared at the ground lacking any emotion in his face, I had seen this look from Ray before, but this time it was different.

"I know this is a real chance to survive... That's why we aren't going anywhere. You are." Explained Ray as he looked up at me, his face now stern and cold.

"W-What?" I mumbled as I stared down Ray, who said nothing. We only stared at eachother, I was in shock and when I eventually found the will to speak I exploded.

"You can't just leave me out here! Its a death sentence!" I yelled, as I got inches from Ray face staring him in the eye. Ray didn't look intimidated at all, he only stared at me with the same expression as before.

"I've saved your life on so many occasions Nate! I've earned this! Have you?" Asked Ray, his voice low and almost angry as if he expected me to just agree, and wander off into the city to die.

"What was the point of saving my life if your just going to leave me out here alone?! What was the point?!" I yelled as I backed away from Ray and turned my back to him running my hands through my hair, spotting the old man watching us closely a few feet away.

"Nate... I think its time to you left." Remarked Ray, as he began toward the old man turning his back to me as if to say "This conversation is over."

"You can't leave me here! Ray!" I screamed as I started toward Ray and the old man, and gave Ray a hard push causing him to stagger forward before turning around and driving his fist into my cheek knocking me to the floor with power.

"Accept it Nate! Your on your own now!" Ray yelled angerly as he stood above me, gripping the shotgun draped over his shoulder trying to intimidate me.

"Maybe you should both leave..." The old man offered a third choice, and Ray looked at the old man with a look of shock before turning to me and pulling the shotgun out from over his shoulder and aimed it down at me laying on the pavement.

"Nate... Leave now. Or I swear to god..." Said Ray through clenched teeth, pointing the gun downwards right at my face. I froze for a minute, before slowly raising up to my feet and staring Ray down, my body as stiff as a board with the shotgun pointed toward me.

"Your gonna have to do it Ray! Your gonna have to shoot me! I'll die out here anyway! Put me out of my misery!" I argued, as I took a step forward and pushed my chest into the barrel of the shotgun causing Ray to take a step back, suprised by my reckless behavior.

I stared into Ray's eyes, the tension was sorrounding us as his finger quivered over the trigger. My hands were clenched into fists so hard, I could feel my fingernails digging into my skin. It seemed as though I had been standing there for a year, waiting for Ray to respond or shoot me. Much to my dismay, I watched as Ray's face molded into the familiar emotionless state.

"Sorry Nate..." He remarked as he aimed the shotgun up at my head, as I felt fear rush over my body causing a gasp to escape my lips.

I didn't know what happened, blood was all over the pavement and my clothes. I was shaking violently in shock, and couldn't bring myself to look down. Gurgled gasping rang out through the parking lot, as tears began to stream down my cheeks.

"Well... Guess your it." Spoke the old man, as my gaze lifted up to see the old man standing a few feet away from me, a bloody knife in hand dripping onto the ground.

My gaze fell to the pavement to see Ray, laying limply on the ground a river of blood leaking out from his throat as his struggles and gasping got weaker and weaker until... silence.


End file.
